One of the most important training components is nutrition. Fuel is what makes your body perform. Not only does what you eat before, during, and after runs matter, but also what you put into your body throughout the rest of your days. In general, most people think you can get away with a poor diet if you work out enough. Well, a little bit of this is true if you are just thinking about a few extra hundred calories you want to indulge in one day without gaining weight. For us runners, it’s not all about weight gain or loss when it comes to dieting. It’s mostly about improving performance and what you eat can either limit you or help you reach your goals.
Eating Around Your Runs
I used to skip eating before my morning runs. I am never hungry when I wake up (usually because I eat a pretty big and late dinner) and have a sensitive stomach, so I would feel heavy and bloated during my runs. I would really have to force myself to have a bar before long runs, which is actually not enough calories! A couple of years ago, I started to wake up a little earlier and take my time in the morning before heading out so I can get used to eating something and have time for it to digest. I was impressed with how much more energized I felt when I had something in my stomach! I opt for Maurten 160 drink mix for short runs and the 320 for longer runs. I mix this up with a chocolate chip Clif Bar or plain bagel at times. When my long runs get longer than 15-16 miles, I give myself even more time beforehand to digest a bagel with butter AND a drink mix.
Pre-run fueling is not 100% necessary if you run less than an hour, unless you actually feel hungry or weak. Longer runs require carbs if you want to feel strong and not bonk halfway. Carbs are what your body feeds on in order to keep going. I am not an advocate for a Keto diet if you are training for long distance. I know the whole “running on ketones” thing is popular but I don’t support it. The majority of my diet is carbohydrates and it has been for years, and I have kept an excellent body weight and have been the healthiest I have ever been.
Mid-run Fuel
For runs longer than 60 minutes, I take some form of sugar with me. The best thing my stomach can handle these days is Maurten—either the drink mix or the gels. I used to have only one pack of Powerbar chews for an entire marathon! They don’t make these anymore, but this was equivalent to six measly Clif Bloks. Once I started to add more mid-run fuel, it required some practice, but it made the biggest difference on every single long run and on race day! I have either 200ml of Maurten 320 or a gel every 5k. It sounds like a lot, but it is what has worked for me. I never bonk during my runs, even on the hottest of days. I do believe in training on empty sometimes, but I never do this for long runs. Training without any fuel beforehand and during long(ish) runs has its benefits (more on this soon in another blog post), but it’s not necessary, nor does it feel good!
Post-run Refueling
You have probably heard most articles praise the post-workout meal, and that is for a reason! After running, especially getting through those hard sessions, the body gets depleted and may be the cause of loss in muscle tissue. This is when the body needs to be replenished with not only carbs, but also a good amount of protein. If I cannot get to a full meal within an hour after my runs, I make a smoothie with fruit, protein powder, cherry juice, beetroot powder, and chia seeds. Other good choices for a post-workout meal are oatmeal or toast with eggs.
The Rest of the Day
I am not one who believes that I should be on any kind of strict diet in order to see results or maintain my weight, but I am also not one who thinks I can eat anything and everything since I run so much! In general, I eat the same meals every day and I am good about not buying any “crap” to keep at home. I save my “crap eating” for the weekend when I go out to a restaurant or order food. I end up with one or two meals a week where I eat something that’s not so good for you and enjoy lots of wine and dessert. I have done this for a long time without any effect on my running or fitness. The biggest obstacle for me is getting enough water every day—I tend to forget about drinking, even when I have my bottle right next to me!
Nutrition is definitely important, but it should not be thought of as a strict diet where you have to limit all of the foods you love. Most of the time, when runners try to do this, they end up not eating enough and that’s what sabotages their performance. It’s better to be a little over-fueled as a runner than under-fueled.
Make sure you share this post with your runner friends who are on the path to performance improvement!